Engine driven welding machines include a gas powered engine to run a generator which supplies power to the welding electrode. Consequently, the fuel tank for the gas powered engine must be periodically refilled with fuel. Years ago, the gas tank opening for the engine welder was located at or near the base of the engine welding machine. This position of the gas tank opening of the welder had several disadvantages, one which was that an operator was required to bend down to the ground to open, fill and then reseal the gas tank. This problem was solved by the RANGER 8 and 9 sold by The Lincoln Electric Company. The RANGER 8 and 9 included a cut out in the top cover of the engine welder to allow a filler tube to project therethrough. The filler tube extended to the fuel tank located in the base of the engine welder. As a result, an operator could fill the fuel tank without having to bend down to the ground.
Another disadvantage of prior engine welder fuel assemblies was that the close proximity of the gas tank opening to the top of the gas tank provided little, if any, warning to the operator during fueling that the gas tank was approaching a full condition, thus resulting in fuel spillage. This problem was also solved by the RANGER 8 and 9. The fuel tank of the RANGER 8 and 9 was located at the base of the engine welder housing and the filler tube opening was located above the top cover of the engine welder housing. As a result, the longer filler tube provided additional warning time to an operator during the filling of the fuel tank. In addition, the filler tube volume was larger volume near the fuel tank than at the filler tube opening. This variable volume of the filler tube also provided the operator additional warning that the fuel tank was approaching a full condition.
Prior engine welders had the further disadvantage of allowing fuel, that back flowed through the filler tube during the filling of the fuel tank, to flow all over the top and/or side surface of the engine welder housing. Such fuel spillage could result in the defacing of the engine welder housing and/or damage to the internal components of the engine welder. Once again this problem was overcome by the RANGER 8 and 9. The RANGER 8 and 9 incorporated the use of a grommet that was positioned in the cut out opening in the top cover of the engine welder. The grommet sealed the cut out opening to prevent fuel from leaking into the interior of the engine welder housing. The grommet was also designed to direct any spilled fuel, resulting from the filling of the fuel tank, off to the side of the engine welder housing. As a result, any fuel spills were controlled by the grommet and resulting in the spilled fuel being safely directed off the side of the engine welder housing.
Although the fuel assembly design of the RANGER 8 and 9 has been commercially successful, at times, fuel spillage can occur from the filler opening during the filling of the fuel tank. During the filling of the fuel tank, back flow of the fuel from the filler tube opening periodically occurred even though the filler tube length had been extended and the filler tube had a larger volume near the fuel tank. In order to address this problem, The Lincoln Electric Company developed a new fuel tank assembly which incorporated the use of a fuel gauge. This fuel tank assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,263,926 and 6,296,027, which are incorporated herein by reference. The fuel gauge is positioned adjacent to the filler tube and allows an operator to monitor the fuel level in the fuel tank during the filling of the fuel tank. As a result, the operator is better able to terminate the filling of the fuel tank long before any back flow occurs through the filler tube. A grommet was again used to seal the cut out region about the filler tube. A portion of the top and adjacent side of the engine welder is cut out and the grommet is positioned in the cut-out region to reseal the top and side of the engine welder. The opening of the filler tube extends through the bottom of the grommet. The cavity of the grommet directs spilled fuel to one side of the engine welder for easier cleanup of spills. The grommet, like all grommets, was designed to maintain a seal between the filler tube and the grommet during the operation of the engine welder so as to prevent any fuel that spills out of the filler tube opening to enter the interior of the engine welder housing. The grommet also allowed for easy removal and cleaning during the periodic servicing of the engine welder.
Although the fueling assembly disclosed in Assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,263,926; 6,296,027 and 6,708,736 addressed many of the past problems associated with the fueling of engine welders, there remains a need for a fuel assembly for an engine welder that minimizes the incident of splashback and spillover during the fueling of the engine welder, provides adequate notice prior to splashback and spillover during the fueling of the engine welder, is easy to service, facilitates in proper sealing, and minimizes or prevents fuel from damaging the engine welder during the occurrence of a fuel spill occurs.